This invention relates to a device and method for protecting plants from cold weather.
Many plants, such as tomatoes, have growing seasons shortened by cold weather, thus lessening food production. These plants can be started or grown in greenhouses, but this is expensive.
Various types of outdoor plant heaters exist. Smudge pots burn oil to warm plants, such as citrus trees. However, the use of smudge pots is unsatisfactory. Hot air and combustion products rise rapidly from the level of the plants, especially if there is a wind, and soot is produced during combustion.
Other plant heaters spray warm water over plants, but this can lead to over-watering and requires a continuous water source. Still other heaters circulate warm ground water through a thermal barrier adjacent to a plant before spraying the water over the plant or directly onto the ground.
Still other plant heaters employ vented, transparent plastic covers to enclose plants, but have no active heating element, relying instead on unpredictable and intermittent sunshine, and do not warm the roots of the plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,667 teaches a method of protecting a plant from cold weather by interposing a water layer enclosed in transparent plastic between the plant and the outside atmosphere. However, the device does not include a heater to prevent the water from freezing, nor a means for heating the roots of the plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,109 teaches a plant protection device with a double-walled enclosure. However, the portion of the device extending above the ground is single-walled and there is no disclosure of heated fluid within the double-walled portion of the enclosure.
In summary, while other plant heaters exist, no one has developed a gardening device or method that warms a plant by surrounding it with a double-walled container full of fluid warmed by a heater, yet does not require a continuous water source.
The primary objective of this invention is to fulfill the above described need with a new gardening device consisting of a double-walled enclosure, adapted for filling with fluid, of a size sufficient to completely encircle a plant, fluid filling the double-walled enclosure and a heater operatively connected to a wall of the enclosure for heating the fluid within the double-walled enclosure.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a method for keeping a plant warm.
These and other objects, features and/or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.
The foregoing objects may be achieved by a device comprising a double-walled enclosure, adapted for filling with fluid, of a size sufficient to encircle a plant, fluid filling the double-walled enclosure and a heater operatively connected to the wall of the enclosure.
According to another feature of the invention, the device includes an elongated heating member extending from above ground to a determined depth below ground, and a second heater connected to and causing heating of the elongated heating member.
According to another feature of the invention, the device includes a vented lid removably mounted to the top of the double-walled enclosure.
According to another feature of the invention, the device includes a trellis removably mounted to the double-walled enclosure for supporting a plant growing above the double-walled enclosure.
According to another feature of the invention, the device includes a cover surrounding the trellis.
According to another feature of the invention, the device includes a fluid circulation pump for circulating fluid within the double-walled enclosure.
The method of the present invention comprises positioning a double-walled enclosure around a plant and adjustably heating the fluid to maintain the plant above a critical temperature.
According to another feature of the invention, the method includes positioning a heating member underground near the roots of the plant, and applying heat to the heating member.
According to another feature of the invention, the method includes positioning a vented lid on top of the enclosure.
According to another feature of the invention, the method includes positioning a trellis on top of the enclosure.
According to another feature of the invention, the method includes positioning a cover around or over the trellis.